


FNC Scorpions

by BooksandKpop



Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: College AU, Hockey AU, I don't know anything about hockey other than what wikipedia taught me, M/M, Mamma Mia inspired, Theyre all university students, This time it's an AU, not proof read, which is why there's not a lot of sporty stuff in this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-03-27 13:53:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13882218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksandKpop/pseuds/BooksandKpop
Summary: Baek Juho is his Universities star hockey player...but what happens when a new transfer student arrives with skills to rival his own?Inspired by the Mamma Mia music video (this time it's an AU) and written for a fanfic writing contest on SF9 Amino (which I couldn't actually enter because the max word count for it was 6000 and, well...)





	FNC Scorpions

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah ok I know I wrote for this pairing inspired by the music video but this time it's a University AU where they're sports dudes. Like I say in my tags I know exactly nothing about hockey so if I'm factually incorrect I blame Wikipedia and my own stupidity. Also if the ages seem a little weird I apologise, but I wanted to fit everyone in so they changed a little. There's no change to age order as such, but everyone is roughly the same age.
> 
> Anyway I hope you enjoy!
> 
> ...this word count got so out of hand it's not even funny...

If you joined FNC University you needed to be good at one of two things; Music or Sports. Regardless of what degree you were studying, it was an unwritten rule followed by generations of alumni that every student must either play some sort of instrument or be a dedicated sports player. Some students went above this and fit into both categories, although this was rare and usually said student was far more invested in one field. FNC had a flawless track record of their sporting teams qualifying for national competitions every year, and more often than not returning with some form of medal or trophy. The musical students were equally decorated, with international choir competitions and band championships under their belts. In short, if you wanted to get a decent degree while pursuing a musical or sporting career at the same time, FNC was the place to go.

Baek Juho was a major in politics, but it was his achievements on the rink which brought him attention from the rest of the student body. Although, his manhwa-like features and mysterious personality were a factor in his popularity too. The youngest captain their hockey team had seen in many years, Juho was a star on skates. His lithe build meant he was quick on his feet, but he also had immense power in his sinewy muscles. He claimed his impressive figure was thanks to years of dance, but his experience on the field was also evident. When he first started showing potential some people believed his cold exterior would only hinder his future prospects, however, those who got to know him soon discovered he was actually a soft, kind-hearted soul. The aloof aura he exuded during matches only served to unnerve the opposition, often making their challengers ask to switch positions to be away from him. It was a strategy that worked incredibly well every season, and so during the start of his third year in FNC he was given the opportunity to show himself as a good team leader, and so far he hasn't disappointed.

 

"Alright everyone brilliant job today! Let's do some cool-downs and then hit the showers."

 

There were audible sighs of relief from the rest of the team. Juho was never one to take training lightly, and since becoming captain he made sure that none of the members did either. His fitness regimes may have been brutal, but everyone admitted their team had never been in better shape. After their ten minutes of cool-down and stretches, the rest of the players gladly made their way off the rink towards the dressing rooms. The only two left behind were Juho and Seunghyub, the vice-captain. Between them, it only took another few minutes to get all the training equipment packed away before vacating the rink themselves.

 

"The team is looking great Juho, I have to admit I was a bit skeptical about Youngkyun in goals but he really is starting to show some talent."

"Yeah the kid has some serious potential, I think with a bit more dedicated training he could be a great sub keeper to have with us when the championships start. What did you think of the new slalom setup?"

 

They continued to review the practice as they headed towards the lockers, discussing some of the new techniques Juho had introduced and the performance of the team members. Juho was extremely grateful to have someone as trustworthy as Seunghyub by his side to discuss methods with, he would have had a much harder time without the elder. When they arrived in the locker room the majority of the team had already showered and were heading out. It was a Friday night and the campus bar was hosting a live acoustic night for some music students to play together. It was guaranteed to be a great show as always.

 

"Yo Captain! Are you coming to the jam session?"

"Not tonight Sanghyuk, I have some other stuff I need to take care of."

"You said that last time too! Come on, even the Universities star hockey player needs to relax sometimes!"

"I might call over for a little while later on, we'll see."

"You better, or else I'll send Youngbin after you!"

 

There was some raucous laughter at that. Sanghyuk was known for being an absolute menace around campus, always scheming or plotting some sort of mischevious prank. It was never anything harmful, just childish fun. Although threating to send his roommate and FNC's soccer all-star Youngbin after him was not something to be taken lightly. Last time someone on the soccer team had skipped on a night-out Youngbin had broken into their dorm and forcefully carried them down to the bar - despite the guy only being in his pyjamas. It was voted as one of the top 5 hilarious moments that semester by the entire student body.

Naturally, Juho was good friends with the soccer captain as well as the captain of the athletics team Kwangjin. They met often at board meetings when discussing upcoming sporting events and fundraisers, and as such, they had become quite close. Despite people thinking he was a cold and distant person when he first started at FNC, he quickly formed a tight-knit group of friends once they realised he was a bit of a softie. He was well-acquainted with some of the music students too, as the most prominent vocalists and instrument leaders also attended the extra-curricular meetings. In fact this year he had moved into a dorm with two of the rising star guitarists; Hoon and his brother Hwan. Juho prided himself on being a friendly person and many of the younger students looking to join sports teams came to talk to him for advice.

 

"There's no need to bother Youngbin Sanghyuk, I'll make sure he comes down for at least an hour."

 

His best friend, who also happened to be his tallest friend, Seokwoo patted him on the shoulder as he said this and Juho didn't try hide his snort. But it seemed to placate their hyper defender who grabbed a few of the other team members who had finished showering and launched himself towards the exit, no doubt planning to get a head start on his night of fun. Previous captains had tried to put a ban on drinking for the team, but Juho understood it was just something students did to unwind. Besides, it was only pre-season and he trusted his members to be responsible enough not to do themselves any damage.

Finally heading into the shower, Juho relished the hot water beating on his skin. Despite his stretches, there was still a tightness in his muscles from all the drills he had run during training. But it was a good feeling at the same time, a reminder that all his hard work was starting to pay off and the team was coming on in leaps and bounds. Even newer recruits like Youngkyun had shown a vast improvement in the few months under his guidance and he couldn't help feeling proud. After thoroughly scrubbing the layers of sweat from his skin and rinsing his hair, Juho wrapped a towel around his waist and went back to the locker room to change. Seunghyub was just leaving and waved him off, no doubt going to meet his girlfriend Jimin at the bar. Juho liked her a lot - in fact, she had been a crush of his for a while when he first joined FNC. Who wouldn't fall for her though, she was an incredible athlete with an even more incredible personality. Her and Seunghyub were great together, a real power couple.

Seokwoo was lying across one of the benches, long limbs splayed everywhere. Juho threw his towel at him once he had dried his hair off. Seokwoo yelled a string of curses at him once he had freed himself from the damp towel and Juho just laughed. He quickly threw on a tshirt and pants and they made their way out of the dressing room, with Juho locking up after them. As captain he had keys to the rink so that he could come in for practices whenever he wanted. It was a big responsibility but he relished in it.

 

"So what is this 'other stuff' you claim you need to do instead of coming down to the bar?"

"I was going to write up a summary report of today's training session and see if I could arrange for a practice match before the season starts. We have a couple of new players who I would like to see in action before deciding on the official team lineup for championships."

"And that's something you need to do on a Friday night? Look Juho I know the captain's position means a lot to you but there's more to uni life than just that. You do realise you haven't seen Chani in over two weeks right?"

"I have! We got coffee together one morning before his athletics try-outs."

"Yeah, that was the time I was talking about. You're losing track of time. What date is today?"

"I'm not answering such a stupid question Seokwoo, come on."

"Juho-"

"It's the 5th, alright? And I know this because my politics assignment is due on the 8th which is Monday and I have 200 words left to write."

"Ok fine so you know the date and you're aware of your deadlines that's good. I'm sorry, you know I can't help worrying though. I don't want a repeat of what happened during finals back in high school."

 

He felt like shuddering at the memory of that dark time. Juho had become so focused on playing in the minor hockey league that he neglected his schoolwork completely, almost missing his final exam because his head was running a week behind. Seokwoo had been his closest friend for a long time and they had been through a lot together, and Juho was incredibly grateful that he had someone who looked out for him like this. In the last year, they hadn't spent as much time together as they used to with Juho becoming more involved in running the hockey team and Seokwoo taking a freshman Chani under his wing.

 

"I won't let that happen again I promise. And tell Chani I'm sorry, I didn't mean to let the time slip by so fast. He's free Monday mornings right? We'll go for coffee then."

 

Seokwoo smiled and wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulder as they continued walking back to the student dorms. It was starting to get a little chillier in the evenings, soon they would need to bring jackets to wear after training. They were mostly quiet for the rest of the walk back, exchanging small details about their week and upcoming assignments. It was comfortable, and Juho was once again glad that he had someone like Seokwoo he could depend on no matter what. They reached the dorms in no time and quickly hurried inside. Seokwoo lived in the dorm right opposite Juho, sharing with a drummer named Seungseok. They parted ways after Seokwoo had made him promise he would head down to the jam session at least for a little while before the evening ended.

Inside his dorm was silent, his two roommates would definitely be down at the bar playing their hearts out. They were both incredibly talented, although Hoon had more experience than his younger brother when it came to performing. Some nights Juho would wake up to find them both sitting on the floor in the living room playing softly and scribbling out melodies on paper. Sometimes he would come back in the morning to find them passed out cuddling their guitars, at which he would roll his eyes and wonder when he became the most responsible one.

Smiling to himself he went into his room and pulled out his laptop. It didn't take long to type up the training report and he decided to send it off to their coach and get it out of the way. The coaches of the teams were pretty hands off pre-season, it was only coming closer to the competition that Coach Kwon would start coming to watch their training sessions. Juho  decided to leave contacting other universities until Monday about arranging practice matches, he had a meeting with the Head of Sports on Monday afternoon and he would run it by him first.

After sending off the report he spent a few minutes sifting through his emails. Most of them were from his course coordinator about future prospects and graduate jobs, there were a couple surveys and one or two emails from other students asking if they could meet him to talk about hockey. Tagging everything with the correct labels and marking a few for follow-ups, he went to close down his laptop when a new email came through. It was from the office of student engagement which was odd since they usually closed at 5 pm on Fridays. Curious he clicked on it and gave it a skim through.

 

_Dear Baek Juho,_

_We hope this email finds you well, apologies for the late time. The Student Engagement Office has received correspondence from the University of Montreal in Canada in relation to one of their students. Said student will be transferring their credits here and plans to finish their third and fourth years with us in FNC. The University has informed us that this student is one of their star hockey players and has requested his placement on our team. As the captain of the FNC Scorpions, we have contacted you first before responding to their request. Please find attached some of the transfer students details. We would appreciate if you could review the file and get back to us at your earliest convenience regarding the possibility of placing the student on the team._

_Best Wishes,_

_Kang Mina_  
_Office of Student Engagements_  
_FNC University_  
_Seoul_

 

Now this was interesting. A transfer student from Canada looking to play on their team? Juho knew that ice hockey was a big deal over there but he hadn't heard much about their roller hockey teams. They were probably just overshadowed. He wanted to look through the attached files, but it was getting late and he needed to eat before he was dragged down to the jam session. Regretfully, he put away his laptop and went to the kitchen to make a quick after training meal. Once the season started properly he would have to make up meal plans for the whole team in order to make sure everyone was in the best condition possible. Mentally making a note to start the profiles for the people he thought would make the team, he ate while aimlessly scrolling through his social media. In no time at all, he was finished and Seokwoo was knocking on his door and insisting he came out to be social. 

The night went well, at least three-quarters of the student body were packed into the space surrounding the makeshift stage and the bar itself. At one point Juho had to rescue Sanghyuk from his disastrous attempt at flirting with two of Jimin's friends, Chanmi and Seolhyun. He was a little tipsy but harmless, the two girls just laughed when Juho tried to apologise and waved off his offers to buy them a drink. They probably heard stories of Sanghyuk from Seunghyub and weren't bothered by his outgoing nature.

The music was amazing of course. Hoon and Hwan received a large cheer from the audience after their piece, although the drum collaboration between a trio of drummers was the crowd favourite. Eventually, the crowd started to disperse, the division between musical and sporting students blurring into nothingness in the bright atmosphere of a Friday night. Juho checked up on all the hockey members he could find, and then went to find his roommates. Hwan was passed out on a bench with his head in another students lap, while Hoon was chatting with one of the drummers that had performed earlier. Seeing as the older of the two brothers seemed pretty engaged in his conversation, Juho went up to the younger of the pair instead.

 

"Hey, Hwanie are you awake?"

"As soon as he came off stage he downed a double vodka shot and went dancing. I'm not sure if his head or his feet will be in more pain tomorrow morning."

 

The guy who was cradling his roommates head smiled at him brightly. He introduced himself as Chulmin, he was studying English and had a shared class with Hwan which was how they knew each other. Juho thanked him for looking after his friend and then dragged him into a standing position. He was conscious but insisted on doing his very best impression of a soggy noodle. Hoon appeared beside his brother and took half of his weight and between them, they escorted him back to their dorm room. 

After checking that Hwan was safely tucked in with a glass of water and painkillers on his bedside table, Juho said his goodnights and went to bed. Before he drifted off he set a reminder on his phone to check out the files he had been sent earlier that evening. He was looking forward to learning about this transfer student.

 

Next morning Juho woke up to his phone insistently ringing from wherever he had thrown it last night. Half-asleep he fumbled around until he found it under the blankets and answered groggily.

 

"Good morning, is this Baek Juho? My name is Mina, I'm from the office of student engagements."

 

The voice on the phone was very bright and cheerful, and at - he checked - quarter past eight in the morning, it was almost enough to make him want to hang up. But he was raised better than that, so instead, he did his best to sound alert and friendly.

 

"Yeah this is Juho. How can I help you?"

"I'm usually the one asking that question funnily enough! Anyway, I'm not sure if you had a chance to check your emails since yesterday evening but I forwarded you on a few files about a transfer student who is looking to play hockey when he arrives here. The coach is very insistent on getting a quick reply so I was wondering if you could look at them today? I'm sorry for asking this of you, it being a weekend and all."

"Don't worry about it. I was planning on checking them all out today anyway, I would have done it last night but I was dragged to the jam session by some teammates."

"I guessed as much, pretty much everyone was there last night. Thank you for doing this, whenever you've gone through them just send me an email with your evaluation and if you think he would be able to play for the Scorpions when he gets here."

"Will do."

 

After exchanging goodbyes Juho hung up and promptly collapsed back onto his pillows. He wasn't going to get back to sleep now, and in order to cope with the tiredness, he was going to need a strong cup of coffee. Dragging himself out of bed he dressed in a hoodie and tracksuits and put his laptop and some paper into his bag. If he stayed in the dorm he would have to look after his hungover roommate and wouldn't get any work done, so instead, he was going to go to the campus coffee shop. Fortunately, it wasn't a far walk from his building and one of his friends from the athletics team worked as a barista there on Saturdays. 

On his way to the shop, he sent a text to Hoon letting him know he would be gone until the afternoon and then text Youngbin to see if he wanted to come for coffee with him. He didn't hear back from his roommate, but the soccer captain replied immediately saying he was already on his way to the shop himself and would see him there. Before long, Juho was standing at the entrance to Sensational Flavour and already felt more awake from the brisk morning air. He spotted the newly dyed hair of his friend through the window and so pushed open the door and headed in. A peppy voice greeted him.

 

"Juho! Well, this is a pleasant surprise. What drags your ass out of bed this early on a Saturday? I was certain I saw you at the jam fest late last night."

"Yes Inseong, I was there until it all ended and had to drag a drunk Hwan home. But I have some time sensitive work to do and needed a coffee to get me through it."

"And you missed my face too, that's the other reason right?"

"If it means I'll get a double shot cappuccino in my hands in the next two minutes I will say whatever you want to hear."

 

Inseong laughed and turned to make his order right away. Juho went and sat down at the table where Youngbin was engrossed in his textbook with his usual mocha in hand. The mint-haired boy smiled at him in acknowledgement before his head disappeared into the book again. He probably had some sort of exam coming up and it would take a few minutes before the coffee kicked in enough for him to make conversation. Juho didn't mind though, as he got his own laptop set up and took out paper and a pen to write his observations on. Inseong dropped his coffee to the table along with a croissant he was certain he hadn't ordered. The barista just winked at him and went back to the counter to prepare for the morning rush. 

Juho opened up the first file he had been sent which was a basic student profile. There were no overly personal details just things that were important for sports, but there was enough for him to get a good idea of what kind of person this student was. 

 

_Name: Jaeyoon Lee_

_Education: Final year Communication Major, University of Toronto_

_Height: 182cm_

_Weight: 66kg_

_Position: Defence_

_Number: 74_

_Play History: Junior Champions Ontario Province Championship (three years), Senior Champions Ontario Province Championship (two years), UoT Varsity Blues MVP (two years running)_

 

He was a well-decorated player for sure, with plenty of medals to his name in various age groups. Not to mention the incredible achievement of being named MVP for his current universities varsity hockey team for the past two years. They surely would be sad to see him leave their team, which made Juho wonder why on earth he would be looking to transfer to a new university in his final year. Other than that he was pretty much identical to Juho in terms of build, which likely meant he was fast on his skates. 

There wasn't much more he could discern from the profile, so Juho moved on to the next attached file - a video clip. It was a highlight reel from training sessions and matches, obviously meant to be sent to potential talent scouts as proof of his skills. And skilled he was. Even if Juho didn't know what jersey number he was wearing he would have been drawn to watching him anyway. Usually, the defence wasn't a position where you could show a lot of variabilities, but this player was an exception. His technique for defending was impeccable, he seemed to have the uncanny ability to always tell which way the opposition would try to clear the puck and perform a perfect intercept and clear. Not to mention his strong form while taking penalty shots. In just 15 minutes Juho was left awestruck, this Jaeyoon was professional level material.

He got a shock when someone draped themselves across his shoulders. The footage had him so invested he hadn't even heard anyone coming up behind him. It was Seokwoo with Chani in tow, the younger boy looking absolutely exhausted. They pulled up chairs beside him and Juho ruffled Chani's hair. He had recently put random pink streaks in it and it made him look very cute, not that he would say that aloud. 

 

"What has you so focused you wouldn't even respond to us calling your name?"

"You were watching the video for two minutes Seokwoo, don't play dumb."

 

He laughed at Chani exposing his friend, he really was a little brat sometimes but they all loved him like a brother. Juho explained what happened with the engagement office and about the highlight reel he had been sent. Seokwoo nodded thoughtfully, but when no more questions came Juho turned back to his laptop. There was still a folder of photos and one more video file attached to the email he needed to go through. The photos were all action shots from matches, some from his senior years but most of them were from his time playing for the Blues. His stance and positioning were always perfect, and in some of them, you could see the sheer terror on the opposing player's faces as they were coming up against number 74. It was funny because Juho had seen quite a few similar expressions on the faces of players he had marked throughout his time on the field too. He knew Seokwoo was also looking at his screen as he flicked through the photos, but he didn't mind too much since he was also a defender and it would be good to have his opinion too.

 

"It's very easy to see why this guy has been MVP for two years at such a high level."

 

Juho turned to his best friend and saw appraisal in his eyes. He had thought the same thing from everything he had seen so far, but before he watched the final video he wanted his trusted vice-captain Seunghyub. He called him and the older agreed to come down to the shop shortly, and Jimin would be tagging along too. Juho explained this to Seokwoo who agreed it was a good idea. The taller couldn't stay since he had a study group in the library but made Juho promise to fill him in later on. He left after waking up Chani, who had moved to sit on the other side of the table so he could nap with his head on Youngbin's shoulder. The two of them looked like real brothers at that moment, and Juho wouldn't be surprised if Youngbin and Chani were distantly related somehow. 

Seunghyub arrived not too long later and sat down with Juho after he had gotten his coffee. Jimin stayed at the counter talking to Choa, one of the other baristas who worked in the shop. Juho filled in his vice-captain on everything he had gathered so far and showed him a minute of footage and a couple of photos. Seunghyub agreed that he was an incredible player and would be a great asset to have on their team. That was a relief for Juho, he had worried that others on the team might be put out by a transfer student getting the opportunity to play ahead of them. They both settled in to watch the last video he had been sent before making their decision. It was another skills reel for Jaeyoon; the other had been his defending technique and penalties, but this one showed him completing slaloms and suicides with ease. He was quick on his feet like Juho expected, and showed incredible control and manoeuvrability on his skates.

The screen went black at the end and Juho sat back about to say something to Seunghyub, but then the video cut to a locker room and a player in a helmet. It was obviously Jaeyoon as his jersey number was visible, but he was still wearing his helmet with the cage down so his face wasn't very clear. Juho was slightly confused until he started speaking, and then he forgot where he was and everything that he was supposed to be doing. The voice was like honey, clear and sweet and Juho wanted to drown in it.

 

"Hi, my name is Lee Jaeyoon. I hope by now you have seen my skating tapes and know that I am a competent player. Hockey means the world to me, and I would really really appreciate the opportunity to continue playing after moving universities. I have heard a lot about the talent in FNC, and I would be honoured to skate with such a highly skilled team. Thank you for reviewing the videos and photos I have sent, I hope I will get a chance to play alongside you all in future."

 

The video ended for real this time and Juho sensed Seunghyub sitting upright beside him, but he couldn't bring himself to look away from his dark laptop screen. Even without seeing Jaeyoon's face, Juho felt something stirring in his chest just hearing his voice. His Korean was slightly unsteady and oddly enough he spoke with a Busan accent. But still it made Juho's heart flutter and his head was a little blurry. Seunghyub shook him by the shoulder and it tore him from his reverie.

 

"You alright? I was saying that he seems to be pretty dedicated to coming here and playing. What do you think captain?"

"Yeah, um - he is a fantastic player, with plenty of skills and experience. He would be a brilliant addition to the team, we could use a real solid defender since Minhwan will be out all season with his ankle injury."

"I mean, yeah I know he's a great player we talked about that already. I was more asking about his little personal appeal clip at the end there."

"Oh right, yeah - well I think he would fit in pretty well, he obviously put a lot of effort into making sure he could communicate in Korean. And by the sound of it, he will be transferring anyway and it's just up to us whether he joins the team or not. Which of course he will because like we said he's a brilliant skater."

 

Juho realised he was rambling and avoiding the question, and Seunghyub knew it too. But the younger was saved from further questioning when Jimin arrived at the table and promptly sat down on top of her boyfriend. They chatted for a little while before the couple had to go, but before they did Juho confirmed it with his vice-captain that he was definitely okay with Jaeyoon joining their team. Waving them both goodbye, Juho turned back to his laptop which had gone into sleep mode. He woke it up and almost as if they were running on auto-pilot his fingers rewound the video to the start of Jaeyoon's self-insert introduction. Before he could watch it again though, Youngbin spoke up from across the table.

 

"So you're getting yourself a new defender then?"

 

He was looking at him with a glint in his eye that made Juho slightly nervous, there was no messing around with Youngbin. He always seemed to be able to tell when people were hiding something from him. And right now he was staring at Juho in such a way that it was obvious he knew there was something going on. Sighing, Juho decided it would be quicker to just admit what he was feeling and not draw it out.

 

"Yeah I'm going to email the office now and say we would be happy to offer him a place on the team. He is incredibly talented so we would be lucky to have him playing for us."

"And the zoning out was because?"

"His voice is really nice, it kind of just drew me in."

 

Youngbin nodded, satisfied he had been given a quick and straightforward answer. Juho remembered at the end of last season when it took Youngbin three hours of pestering and staring to get Youngkyun to admit he had a crush on one of Youngbin's new recruits, Taeyang. It had been a painful time for all of them, but it passed and Youngkyun got over his crush after becoming close friends with the soccer player. Since his fellow captain wasn't going to ask any more questions Juho started writing out his email of confirmation. It took a few tries and a bit of rewording but eventually he was happy with it.

 

_Dear Kang Mina, Office of Student Engagements_

 

_I have reviewed all the attached files regarding the student who will be transferring to FNC. After discussions with my vice-captain, we have both agreed he would be a great addition to the Scorpions. He would still be required to do a tryout as a formality but with his skill level, there is no doubt he will easily make the team. If possible, whenever the arrival date of the student is confirmed could it be forwarded on so I can arrange his tryouts?_

_Kind regards,_

_Baek Juho_

_Captain of FNC Scorpions_

 

He debated leaving in the tag-line about being captain, but he decided it looked good and he sent it as it was. Hopefully, Jaeyoon would be coming sooner rather than later. If he was going to be part of their team he would need to get to know all the other members and build a good relationship with them. Even if a team had 6 incredibly strong skaters, they could only be as good as their teamwork. Juho emailed the coach telling him about the transfer student, although he was sure he probably knew about it already. After everything was done he decided he should be a good captain and go check the well-being of his members. Waving goodbye to Youngbin and Inseong behind the counter he headed out.

The day had warmed up a little and he stretched out his muscles. Sitting in one spot for hours was never the best thing, but sometimes it had to be done. There were 14 players in total on their squad; excluding himself, Seokwoo and Seunghyub from that it left 11 people for him to check up on. Sanghyuk was his first priority, and since he wasn't picking up his phone Juho made his way over to his dorm. On the way, he called Youngkyun to see how he was doing. Just as he was sure the phone was going to ring out the other end picked up.

 

"Hello?"

"Hey Youngkyun it's Juho. How are you doing this morning?"

"Mmff- I'm tired but otherwise fine. I couldn't find my dorm key last night so I'm in Minhyuk's place."

 

Minhyuk was one of Youngkyuns classmates, he was on the athletics team but was known for being an incredible dancer too. Juho confirmed that the younger boy had been drinking plenty of water and had a decent breakfast before ending the call. Hanse, Sebin and Jongup all picked up when he called and he relayed the same message to them which they all muttered affirmatives. He called Johnny next, the American didn't pick up but his boyfriend did and confirmed he was alive. Sangyeon didn't answer but he sent a text saying he was in the library so he was fine. He called Hoseok J and got Hoseok S too, and by this time he had reached Sanghyuk's dorm. There were three more to call but he could get around to them once he was sure his friend wasn't dead. 

Knocking on the door for five minutes and calling several times did nothing to get Sanghyuk to the door, so instead Juho called Youngbin and asked where he kept their spare key. He located it and let himself into the dorm. It was laid out the same as his own dorm, although there was a distinct lack of music equipment in their living room. He found Sanghyuk sound asleep in his room with his duvet pulled over his head and his phone nowhere in sight. It took a good ten minutes to wake him up but eventually, Juho got him up and into the kitchen. He seemed a little more awake after taking some painkillers, and after making him promise to go get some food Juho left him to it. 

He supposed he should go back to his own dorm and check on his roommate. Walking back he managed to get in contact with the other three members of the team and confirmed that they were all in good condition. He felt a little like a mother hen checking in on all the players but he took his role as captain seriously and was dedicated to the health of his team. Hwan was sitting on the couch watching dramas when Juho got back to the dorm, although he didn't look worse for wear his voice was pretty raspy. Juho couldn't help laugh at his roommate's misfortune, he knew he was not able to handle his alcohol well but he insisted on drinking shots anyway. He was just as bad as Sanghyuk, in fact, Juho thought the two of them would actually get along quite well. 

The two decided to order food for lunch and get it delivered to the dorm since Hwan wasn't in the mood to leave the couch for the rest of the day. Juho supposed it was understandable and they called the local pizza place. He was informed that Hoon had gone out to meet up with Jaehyun, the drummer he was talking to after the performance last night. Their food arrived in good time and they spent the majority of the afternoon lazing about and watching dramas. When Hoon arrived back he lay across their laps on the couch and demanded they not move for half an hour while he napped. Juho laughed, he wasn't the kind of person to ask for physical affection but would find the weirdest ways to get it in the end. The three roommates settled in for a lazy evening and Juho enjoyed the chance to relax and not stress about anything.

 

The rest of the weekend passed without incident and Juho's meeting with the Head of Sports went extremely well. Both he and their hockey coach were very enthusiastic about the transfer student joining the team. Juho also met with Chani for coffee like promised and realised how much he missed spending time with his younger friend, so they both promised to meet up more often. The week itself was nothing out of the ordinary, between lectures and training Juho didn't really get much time to himself. However on Thursday evening, he received another email from the office of student engagements which brought about both excitement and nervousness.

 

**_CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION ENCLOSED._ **

_Dear Baek Juho,_

_We have confirmed with the relevant offices from University of Toronto that transfer student Lee Jaeyoon will be arriving in Seoul this coming Sunday 14th at 3:30 pm from Toronto on Air Canada flight AC61. They have requested that you be one of three students at the airport for his arrival. He will be starting as an official student on Monday 15th and is willing to try out for the team as soon as possible. Please return a confirmation that you will be part of the welcoming committee for Lee Jaeyoon._

_Also, upon request of Varsity Blues hockey coach Jim Rogers, please forward a copy of the team's training schedule and season start date to the following email address._

_Best Wishes,_

_Kang Mina_  
_Office of Student Engagements_  
_FNC University_  
_Seoul_

 

So Jaeyoon would be arriving in less than three days time, and Juho would be one of the first students to meet him. He supposed that made sense; hockey was going to take up a huge amount of his time at FNC and since it was a deciding factor for his attendance. Still, Juho couldn't help but feel nervous at the prospect of meeting such a talented player who's voice made his head go fuzzy and his stomach do weird flips. He had three days to psych himself up though, so he was sure it would be fine. Deciding the best thing he could do was just continue with his regular work and training and try not to think about it too much. So as soon as he had forwarded their schedule (which he did his best to translate to English) to the Canadian coach he closed his laptop and started doing some assigned reading he had been putting off for a while now.

Sunday came around quicker than Juho would have liked. The only person he told about the email was Seunghyub, and even at that, he didn't give any specific details other than he was going to the airport to meet their transfer student. Jayeoon - he had to keep reminding himself to use his name - was arriving to a welcoming committee consisting of Juho the hockey captain, Jae their international student facilitator, and Seolhyun who was the student rep for communications majors. Juho spent two and a half hours that morning skating trying to dispell the nervous energy he had buzzing through his veins. After a quick shower he got dressed and met the other two students who were going to the airport with him at the main entrance to the campus. They were getting a taxi to and from the airport, Seolhyun sat in the front while the two boys shared the back on their journey up. They chatted politely but it did nothing to help Juho calm down.

When they arrived at the airport it was 2:55 pm and their taxi driver said someone else would be there to collect them at 4 and bring them back to campus. Thanking him, the three students hopped out and made their way through the large building to the arrivals area. Juho had never been out of the country before, so the airport was an unfamiliar place to him. Neither Jae nor Seolhyun seemed fazed by the large crowds of people speaking dozens of languages and the fast-paced bustling that was happening around them. He didn't like to admit it but Juho felt slightly out of his comfort zone. Sticking close to Jae he tried to take it all in but the charged atmosphere was making his nerves even worse. Eventually they reached the exit gate for the arrivals and Seolhyun pulled a poster out of her bag.

 

_Welcome to Korea Lee Jaeyoon!_

 

It was written in both English and Korean and had a crudely drawn version of their universities crest on one side and a hockey stick and helmet on the other. Juho looked at it incredulously which made Jae laugh and Seolhyun pout. She must have drawn it Juho guessed. It was a very smart idea though, and she smiled when he said as much. Jae pointed up at the big electronic board overhead and bounced on the spot with what must have been excitement. Juho looked up and felt his heart palpitations get even worse. 

  _3:30 pm ... Air Canada ... AC 61 ... Toronto to Seoul ... ARRIVED_

 

Jae offered to hold Seolhyun's sign up so it would be visible above the large crowd of people coming out of the gate and into arrivals. She protested and instead stretched her arms up as high as they could go. Juho giggled which made her glare at him and Jae broke into laughter too. They were waiting a few minutes and the crowd had started to thin out, Juho was getting a little anxious. He turned away from the gate to look behind him just in case Jaeyoon had managed to pass them by without spotting them. He was still looking when he heard a voice behind him that made his heart almost stop.

 

"Ah, hello. Are you here from FNC University?"

 

It was the same voice and cautious Korean he had heard on the video that gave him butterflies and a fuzzy feeling in his brain, only now the voice and it's owner were right here. He turned around and was greeted with the most breathtaking sight he had ever seen. His hair was a pinkish-red colour, but he had it swept back showing off his forehead and undercut. As if that wasn't enough, he had a slit in his eyebrow and his skin was a gorgeous honeyed shade. Just everything about him screamed attractiveness and Juho had to cover his loss of breath with a cough. He didn't even dare comment on his clothes.

 

"That's us! My name's Jae I'm the international student facilitator. Basically, I'll be your go-to guy if you're struggling with language or whatever. This lovely lady here is Seolhyun she's the student rep for your major so you can talk to her about course content and arranging catch-ups and stuff. And finally this handsome guy here is Juho, our hockey captain."

 

Juho had really despised taking English for so many years but right now he couldn't be more glad of it since he was able to understand about 85% of what Jae had just said. Jaeyoon smiled at him brightly and Juho really struggled not to gasp. He shook each of their hands and bowed slightly to them all, he seemed a little nervous but Jae assured him that he was doing great. They all started making their way out of the arrivals area and back to the pick-up point where they would be meeting their taxi. Jae and Jaeyoon talked comfortably in English about his flight and general things, and Seolhyun contributed a bit too. Juho understood most of their conversation but decided against joining in. He didn't think he would be able to handle having this beautiful man's attention directed at him just yet.

The taxi was waiting for them when they exited and they hurried quickly to put all of Jaeyoon's luggage into the boot. He didn't have as much as Juho would have expected seeing he was transferring to a completely different country, but he wasn't going to question it. Once again Seolhyun claimed the front seat of the taxi leaving the three boys to squeeze into the back. Since they were all the same height it wouldn't matter much who sat in the middle seat, but Jae insisted Jaeyoon did so that he could easily talk to all of them. Juho wished Jae was shorter so he would have to sit between them. Because now his thighs were pressed against Jaeyoon's and their shoulders were brushing slightly and it was getting very warm in the back of the taxi.

They were almost back at the campus when they got caught in traffic and had to stop. It wouldn't be too much longer but Juho was already dying inside. Seolhyun turned in her seat to talk to them. They had started using Korean about halfway through the journey but Juho still kept quiet, Jaeyoon's adorable stumbling over certain words was really testing his self-control. Just then Jae made a noise of exclamation and swung around so he was sitting sideways and looking at them.

 

"You guys, we look like two matching couples!"

 

This time Juho did actually choke on his own breath, and Jaeyoon looked very confused. Seolhyun just rolled her eyes and smacked Jae on the arm. 

 

"Hey no wait this is valid I can totally explain!"

"Explain why you're trying to kill the universities all-star hockey player? Sure go on."

"I wasn't - Juho you know I'm not trying to kill you right?"

 

Juho was still struggling to recover his breath but he nodded and gave Jae a thumbs up anyway. Relieved, the other decided to keep going on his train of thought.

 

"Ok so like, I'm wearing this big fluffy sweater, right? And Seolhyun you look really cute in your pastel dress and shirt, so like we could totally pass as a couple."

"I'm way out of your league but alright Jae keep going."

"Well I mean look at how these two are dressed. Juho has the whole blazer and ripped jeans thing going on and Jaeyoon has a leather jacket and ripped jeans and they both look like they've just come out of some retro university film or something. And you're both wearing simple t-shirts and boots and have the whole dyed hair look. So I mean you guys aren't matchy-matchy but still, it looks kind of coupley don't you think?"

 

The last question was directed at Seolhyun who just rolled her eyes again and elected to ignore Jae's ramblings. Juho glanced at Jaeyoon to find him looking very confused. Jae had rambled on pretty quickly so he supposed it must have been a little hard to catch everything. Just then though Jaeyoon turned to catch Juho's eyes and smiled sheepishly. He might have been imagining things but Juho thought he saw a dusting of pink on his cheekbones. He didn't say anything, instead he just smiled back and they didn't talk about it for the remainder of the ride. Jaeyoon definitely leaned in a little closer to him though, which didn't help the whole "dying" thing.

They finally reached campus and Juho scrambled out of the taxi. He took the opportunity to stretch out his legs and back after sitting cramped up for so long and then offered to help Jaeyoon with his suitcase. According to Seolhyun they needed to get Jaeyoon to the student registrars office and finalise his registration for classes tomorrow. Jae offered to go along in case there were any translation issues. It seemed like Juho wasn't needed anymore, but Jaeyoon hovered around momentarily while the other two started walking. 

 

"Is everything alright?"

 

It was the first thing he had said to Jaeyoon so far, and he seemed a bit taken aback by how deep his voice was. He looked nervous about something, but Juho smiled encouragingly and it seemed to help. He took a deep breath before straightening up to his full height and looked Juho dead in the eyes.

 

"Coach - I mean, my old coach - he sent me your training schedule. You train tomorrow at 6:30 right?"

"Yeah we do drills and stamina training on Mondays. I'm in the middle of organising a friendly game with CUBE University before the season starts to try out the new team members."

"Ok cool, it's just, umm - I need to try out for the team right? And I wanted to do it as soon as possible so I can start training with you guys. I mean, if you'll take me that is."

"Jaeyoon, I've seen your scouting tapes, you're an incredible skater. You could get on the team by those alone. Why don't you go with Jae and Seolhyun to get your schedule sorted out first? If we're both free at the same time tomorrow we can do your tryout then. If not we can go this evening."

"That's good, yeah alright. How - ummm - how will I contact you to let you know my schedule?"

"Here, give me your phone and I'll put in my contact details. You can just send it on to me and we'll sort something out."

 

By the grace of whatever deity was watching over him, Juho managed to remain completely calm throughout their conversation and his voice didn't crack once. Although he had to admit he was very close to cooing over Jaeyoon's cute stumbles on a few occasions. He put his phone number and email address into Jaeyoon's phone before handing it back to him. Jaeyoon nodded in thanks before he turned and went to catch up with the other two who were watching them from a few feet away. He turned back and waved shyly over his shoulder before Seolhyun grabbed him by the elbow and started frog marching him in the direction of the registrar's office. Juho let out a sigh of relief and started walking back towards his dorm, head filled with the sound of Jaeyoon's voice. 

He was just pulling his keys out from his pocket when his phone buzzed with a text. When he read the preview he dropped his phone in surprise. Luckily sports had given him great reflexes and so he managed to catch it before it hit the ground. He had to take a deep breath before opening the message.

 

**Unknown number**

_Hi this is Jaeyoon. I'm at the office now!_

 

Juho didn't know how to respond to that. It was just a simple text giving him a heads up and meaning he now had Jaeyoon's number too, but for some reason, it felt oddly domestic. Hurridly ridding his head of those thoughts he sent a quick reply back before managing to unlock his door and heading inside. Neither of his two roommates seemed to be around, they probably had some sort of music practice on Juho supposed. He went to the bathroom and splashed his face with water to clear his head. How was it possible that he was so taken by a guy he had only just met? His mind wandered and conjured up the image of Jaeyoon in front of him, dewy skin and honeyed voice giving him the outward appearance of an angel. But Juho knew he was lightning quick and powerful on the field, and that contrast wasn't helping.

Sighing he dried his face and went to the kitchen to see what they had for food. Which unfortunately wasn't much. Cursing their student mentality of forgetting to buy proper groceries he grabbed his phone to call some of his friends and see would they like to get dinner. But his phone was still open on Jaeyoon's text, and despite the rational part of his mind screaming not to, he sent a text.

 

**Me**

Glad to hear that. Make sure you send me on your schedule whenever you get a chance.

**Contact created: Lee Jaeyoon**

 

Momentarily blank Juho just stared at his phone screen, but a well-timed grumble of protest from his stomach spurred him into action. He brought up Seokwoo's number and gave him a call. They decided to go to the burger place just off campus for dinner since Seokwoo was also short on food in his dorm. They decided to give it an hour so Seokwoo could finish the assignment he was working on before they went down. He also suggested Juho call some of the other guys and see if any of them wanted to grab food too. It was a good idea and Juho voiced his agreement. After hanging up with Seokwoo he got in contact with more of his friends.

Seunghyub had work to do so he wouldn't be around, and his two roommates were at an all-night music rehearsal so they also declined the invitation. So it would be eight of them in total, himself and Seokwoo were going to meet Youngkyun, Chani and Sanghyuk on campus while Youngbin and Inseong would meet them at the restaurant. Taeyang said he had an assignment due but as soon as he was finished he would head over and meet them. Satisfied, Juho let his phone drop onto the couch beside him and sighed. It would be the first time in a while that all of them would be able to get together for dinner and just to talk and he was looking forward to it. His phone buzzed with a text and he wondered if it was one of the guys changing their minds. He almost wished it was, but it was Jaeyoon texting him again instead.

 

**Lee Jaeyoon**

My registration is all sorted, I am officially an FNC student! Jae is going to help me bring my suitcase to my dorm and I can email my schedule to you then?

**Me**

Welcome to the madness. That sounds good, let me know if you're having any problems.

**Lee Jaeyoon**

Will do! Thanks Juho.

 

He wasn't sure why reading his name in a text made his heart flutter, maybe it was just the residual nerves from meeting Jaeyoon in the first place. That must be it. Since he still had about forty minutes before they were heading out for dinner Juho decided to try to get some work done. He went to his room and started up his laptop. As usual, he had a few emails from various student bodies which he dealt with in turn. The only one he was really interested in was from the captain of the CUBE University hockey team who finally confirmed they would be able to play a friendly match at the end of next week, and their rink was available for use if his team were happy to travel. Triumphant at last, Juho replied happily.

 

_Dear Shin Peniel,_

 

_Thanks so much for getting back to me on this. We would have no problem travelling to your campus to play. I was planning on using this match as a chance to trial some of my new recruits before the season started. If you have any players you wanted to watch I would encourage you to do the same. We look forward to meeting your team next Friday, just send a confirmation of the starting time whenever you get a chance._

 

_Many thanks,_

_Baek Juho_

 

After hitting send Juho pulled up his player's roster for the year and started going through different combinations of teams he could play. There was a lot of up and coming talent on the team and he wanted to see how they worked together against another team. In no time Seokwoo was knocking on his door and complaining that he was starving. Juho closed over his laptop and grabbed a jacket on the way out. He locked up and met Seokwoo in the hallway, he was wearing an oversized jumper and his hair was messed up like he had just woken up from a nap. He looked adorable and Juho made sure he told him that. They walked down the stairs to the lobby where they were meeting Chani. He wasn't there yet so while Seokwoo called him Juho messed around on his phone. Just then a text came through and Juho swore he needed to learn how to keep his heart calm whenever he saw Jaeyoon's name appear.

 

**Lee Jaeyoon**

I've moved all my stuff in, my roommate is quite nice although he isn't a sporty person. He doesn't have any food in the dorm though, I was hoping you might know where is a good place to go to eat? I'm starving!

 

Juho didn't know why such friendly texts were making him feel this way. It made sense that Jaeyoon would talk to him since he didn't exactly know anyone else in the country right now. There was a niggling thought in the back of his mind that he was trying very hard to ignore. Just as he started typing a reply Seokwoo spoke up from over his shoulder and made him jump.

 

"You have a new friend and you didn't think to tell me?"

"He's the Canadian transfer student, you know the hockey player I was asked to review tapes for? Well, he arrived today."

"Ok, and he hasn't eaten in Korea yet?"

"Well no, he only arrived a few hours ago."

"Mhmm - so why don't you invite him out to dinner with us?"

 

He didn't have an answer for that, although even just the thought of seeing Jaeyoon again made him nervous. He was really going to have to address these feelings, but not right now. Before he could protest Seokwoo cut him off with perfect logic that he couldn't argue against.

 

"Look he's only just gotten here and you're one of the only people he knows. Inseong speaks English so he would be comfortable talking to him, and since myself, Sanghyuk and Youngkyun are also on the hockey team it would be good for him to meet us. That way he won't be all by himself at training tomorrow. Plus we're going for American food which would be something he's used to, instead of sending him to get Korean food by himself."

 

Seokwoo seriously had a heart of gold and he was absolutely right. Chani appeared at the bottom of the stairs just then and Juho made the decision to take Seokwoo's advice. 

 

**Me**

Well actually, if you're interested myself and some friends are going to get burgers off-campus? You're more than welcome to join us.

Three of the guys are on the hockey team so it would be nice for you to meet them. And one of my friends speaks English.

**Lee Jaeyoon**

Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose on you guys...

**Me**

You wouldn't be imposing at all! I can meet you on campus and we can all head over. Which dorm building are you in?

**Lee Jaeyoon**

Dorm 5, very top floor. There are so many stairs!

**Me**

I'm building 6 so we're right beside you. I'll meet you in the lobby in five minutes ok?

**Lee Jaeyoon**

That sounds great. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!

 

Seokwoo was looking at him expectantly and Juho told him that Jaeyoon would be joining them for food. His friend beamed and Chani looked slightly lost, and then looked smug when Seokwoo filled him in. They walked towards building 5 and Seokwoo rang Sanghyuk to see where he was. The loud voice over the phone informed all of them that himself and Youngkyun were both sitting inside the building 2 lobby waiting impatiently. Chani yelled back that they would be there in a few minutes and to stop being a big baby. Before Sanghyuk could respond Seokwoo ended the call and they all laughed. 

When they reached building 5 Juho spotted Jaeyoon's pink hair through the doors. His hands started sweating but he pretended not to notice. He told Seokwoo and Chani to continue walking on and he would catch up with them. He jogged towards the dorm entrance and Jaeyoon spotted him before he got there. He came out and Juho ignored the hitch in his breathing. Jaeyoon was still wearing the same clothes as earlier but he looked a little fresher, obviously having washed up when he got back to his dorm. Smiling shyly Juho stopped where he was as the other walked towards him.

 

"Hey. Thank you again for this, you really didn't have to."

"There's no need to thank me honestly. And besides, this way we can talk about your schedule in person."

 

Jaeyoon laughed at that and they both started walking in the direction of dorm building 2 to collect Sanghyuk and Youngkyun. Juho did his best to describe each of his friends so that Jaeyoon could have an idea who they were when they all met up. He laughed at Juho describing Sanghyuk as "a five-year-old in a 25 year-olds body" and Inseong as "one of those cute little foxes you see in the desert". Once or twice Jaeyoon asked him to repeat something or clarify what he was talking about but otherwise, there were no real communication errors. He still sounded a little unsure pronouncing certain words but he was clearly understandable. Even if his odd Busan accent caught Juho off-guard once ot twice. They caught up with Seokwoo and Chani as they were leaving the building with their other two friends in tow. 

 

"I was wondering why the instigator of this dinner wasn't here to collect me. I thought you had bailed on us again Captain!"

"I refuse to go get drinks with you because I end up being your chaperone Sanghyuk, dinner isn't something I would willingly miss."

"Sure sure. And who may I ask is this fine looking man you have with you?"

"This is Jaeyoon, he just moved here. He probably has more hockey talent in one leg than you have in your whole body."

 

Sanghyuk spluttered indignantly and the other three laughed. Jaeyoon seemed a little shy about it but when Juho smiled at him he relaxed a little. The four introduced themselves properly and they all started walking to the restaurant. Youngkyun questioned what their other three friends were doing and Juho filled him in. Sanghyuk and Jaeyoon chatted amicably and Juho ignored the odd curl in his chest when Jaeyoon giggled at his friend's dumb attempt at a British accent. Chani was the first one to bring up Jaeyoon's odd accent and had to explain why it was strange when he looked very confused by the question.

 

"Oh, I didn't realise. I guess I must have just picked up this accent from my Korean teacher back in Canada?"

 

That lead to more questions about how Jaeyoon learned the language which he happily answered. They spoke about their majors and sports, Chani being the only one who played soccer instead of hockey. Juho quickly became more comfortable talking to Jaeyoon and he had his friends to thank for that he supposed. They reached the restaurant and met Youngbin and Inseong waiting outside. More introductions were made and Jaeyoon was happy to talk with Inseong in English, Juho wanted to think the pain in his stomach was just hunger.

They all went inside and sat in a booth. Youngbin instructed Jaeyoon to sit at the window and Juho beside him. They followed instructions only because Youngbin had his leader voice on which no one wanted to argue with. He sat across from them and pulled Inseong to sit beside him, with the others all filing in easily. Sanghyuk and Chani sat on the other side of the table while Seokwoo sat beside Juho and Youngkyun beside him on the outside. When the waitress came around with menus and jugs of water Jaeyoon looked at the menu in relief. Juho realised how right Seokwoo had been about him wanting food that was familiar on his first night in Korea. The conversation flowed easily, and when their food arrived they all tucked in with relish.

Taeyang arrived when they were all close to finished and ordered his own food to eat with them. The booth was only made for eight people but he managed to squish in beside Youngkyun. This, of course, meant Juho had to sit much closer to Jaeyoon, their position mirroring that of the taxi earlier that day with thighs and shoulders pressed together. Taeyang introduced himself by yelling across the rest of them in the booth and Jaeyoon laughed, which made Juho's head spin a little. When the waitress brought out Taeyang's burger she asked if the rest of them wanted dessert. Youngbin denied and Chani unhappily followed suit. Sanghyuk ordered another milkshake but everyone else was too full to want anything. They stayed in the booth chatting while Taeyang wolfed down his burger and fries. It was comfortable and Jaeyoon fit into their group dynamic easily. It eased Juho's nerves knowing that he was so easily likeable and friendly with everyone. It would have been a lot harder if he had been too shy to talk to everyone. Despite the occasional slip-up or mispronunciation, they found it very easy to communicate.

It wasn't long before they were all finished up and went up to the register to pay their bill. Because they were a large group they couldn't split it so they all had to chip in to cover the cost. It was something they were all very used to, coming from such a large group of friends. Eventually it was all sorted and they left the restaurant with full stomachs and content smiles. They all started walking back to campus together and Juho felt his heart soar watching Jaeyoon integrate so seamlessly into his group of friends, and he passed off the blush on the other's cheeks as just exertion so soon after eating. They all started drifting apart when they reached their buildings; Youngbin, Sanghyuk and Youngkyun headed into building 2 first, waving goodbye to everyone as they left. Inseong veered off next since he was staying in a house on the other side of campus. When they reached building 5 Jaeyoon started to slow down and Juho realised that he would have to say goodnight. He also realised that they had never discussed their schedules at the same time Jaeyoon did.

 

"I didn't-"

"We never-"

"Sorry, you first."

"We never went over your schedule to see if we could arrange a time for your try-outs."

"Yeah, I just realised that too."

"Well Juho why don't you go with Jaeyoon now and figure it out? Chani and I can walk Taeyang back to his dorm."

 

Once again Seokwoo was full of great ideas. Taeyang lived in an off-campus dorm so they always insisted on having someone walk him back especially on nights when it was dark. First checking that Jaeyoon was ok with the idea, Juho nodded and they waved goodbye to their three friends as they walked on. That left Juho and Jaeyoon standing outside his dorm building a little awkwardly. He thought his heart had gotten used to being around Jaeyoon after spending the evening together but it seemed when they were alone it didn't make any difference.

 

"So like I said earlier, my dorm is on the very top floor. You don't mind taking the stairs right?"

"Not at all, I'm on the third floor myself so I've gotten used to it. And besides, if I couldn't handle a few flights of stairs I wouldn't be a great sports captain would I?"

 

Jaeyoon laughed in agreement with that and they both headed in. It wasn't necessarily cold outside but there was a bit of a chill and Juho was only wearing his light jacket. Jaeyoon didn't seem too bothered even though he was dressed similarly to Juho - as Jae had pointed out earlier. Once through the lobby they started up the stairs. All the buildings and the dorms on campus were pretty much identical so Juho felt as if he was walking up to his own room. But they passed the exit for the third floor and continued climbing. They reached the top and Juho definitely wasn't out of breath. All he could think was that the students who lived on the top floors of dorm buildings must have great leg muscles. With that train of thought leading him into dangerous territory, he decided to start up a conversation to hopefully distract him as they made their way to the end of the hall where Jaeyoon's dorm was.

 

"So is it just one roommate you have?"

"Yeah, I was told the dorms on the top floor are slightly smaller so they restrict it to two students per dorm instead of three. My roommate said the guy who was here at the start of the semester moved to off-campus accommodation with his girlfriend so that's why the room is free."

"Ahh that's cool. You'll probably take a few days to get yourself unpacked and settled in I suppose."

"I don't have much to unpack honestly, all I really need to do is go food shopping because the presses and fridge are completely bare!"

"I really need to go to the supermarket soon too. That's actually the reason why we all went out for dinner tonight because none of us had groceries to cook."

 

Juho decided he really liked the sound of Jaeyoon's laugh and was determined to hear it more often. He unlocked his door and they headed inside. Flicking on the lights revealed a living room full of music equipment not unlike how Juho's looked when his roommates were having a brainstorming session. Jaeyoon confirmed his suspicions after they had taken their shoes off at the door.

 

"My roommate is a music kid. As in, he is actually studying a music degree here. Jae briefly told me about the whole 'sports or music' extracurricular student thing that goes on here."

"I guessed as much. My two roommates are both music students too so our living room pretty much always looks like this."

 

Just then an oddly familiar face peeked up from where he was sitting on the floor hidden by the couch. It took a second but Juho was finally able to place him, and it seemed the other recognised him too.

 

"Hey, you're Hwan's roommate, right? Not his brother roommate but the sporty one."

"Yeah that's me. Chulmin right? Hwannie's classmate?"

"You got it!"

 

He smiled prettily and Juho got an idea why Hwan had blushed bright red when they told him Chulmin had looked after him after he got drunk. The three of them spoke for a short while, Jaeyoon explaining how he had gone for dinner with Juho and his friends. Seeming to suddenly remember why he had brought Juho up to his dorm in the first place, Jaeyoon reached out and grabbed Juho's hand while he was in the middle of pointing something out to Chulmin. Whatever angle he reached out though, he ended up grabbing just Juho's thumb which made him look down in shock. Even more shocking was how small Jaeyoon's hands were compared to Juho's. 

 

"Ummm-"

"Sorry! I - sorry. I have my schedule in my room, I'll just - I'll go get it."

 

Jaeyoon dropped his hand and ran off into one of the adjoining bedrooms. Juho stood there frozen to the floor, his heart was beating faster than it had all day. He heard Chulmin laugh a little from his spot behind the couch which cleared the haze from Juho's brain a little. Enough to spur his feet into action and he followed Jaeyoon into the room he disappeared into. Maybe it wasn't a good idea but his brain wasn't fully functioning at the moment and Chulmin wasn't exactly stopping him so how bad of an idea could it be?

He opened the door and Jaeyoon was sitting on his bed with his head between his knees. His heart pulled him into the room and over to sit beside Jaeyoon on the bed. He jumped and looked up at Juho, his face was as pink as his hair. He looked panicked and like he was going to try and explain but Juho stopped him by putting a hand on his knee.

 

"Whatever you were going to say there's no need alright? It's fine. Let's just have a look at your schedule yeah?"

 

Jaeyoon's face was the picture of relief, and he nodded vigorously. He got up and went over to his desk where he picked up a sheet of paper before coming back to sit beside Juho. They were still sitting as close as they had been before, and for the third time in one day - had it really only been so short a period of time - their thighs were pressed against one another. Juho knew he didn't need to lean in closer to read Jaeyoon's schedule but his brain still hadn't fully recovered from feeling Jaeyoon's hand wrapped around his. It only took a quick glance for Juho to realise their Monday schedules were in complete contrast to one another. Every time Jaeyoon was free was when Juho had his own lectures. Typical timetabling. Jaeyoon was finished his last lecture at six but if he was going to come for training at 6:30 he would need to go back to his dorm and change and everything, which meant he couldn't have his try-out then. Juho sighed and Jaeyoon fidgeted beside him.

 

"I don't know how it's possible but somehow our Monday schedules are exact opposites."

"So, then I won't be able to do my try-out before your practice tomorrow?"

"You really don't need a try-out honestly, if you want to just come to the practice that's totally fine. I mean my vice-captain has also seen your tapes and agrees you'll be great for the team."

"I'm not going to just join your team without proving myself, I don't want special treatment just because of my pushy coach and the fact I'm a transfer."

"It's not special treatment like I said, you've already prov-"

"Juho, please. I want to do a try-out before training."

 

His voice was strong and when Juho met his eyes he could see the determination behind them. This obviously wasn't something he was going to let go easily, and so he relented. It wouldn't do either of them any good to sit arguing back and forth when Jaeyoon was not going to change his mind.

 

"Alright. Well if you're feeling up to it we can go to the rink now? Spend thirty minutes running through basics and then tomorrow at training we can see how your skills are."

"Yes, I want to do that. But I - umm - I don't have any of my skating equipment right now. It's being shipped over separately."

"That's fine, we have plenty of spare training gear you can wear."

 

With that settled they both got up and Juho headed out to the living area first. Jaeyoon followed him out shortly after and told Chulmin where he was going. His roommate nodded and looked at Juho knowingly. He felt his face start to heat up but ignored it and just muttered a goodbye before hurrying to put his boots on at the door. On their long walk down the stairs, Juho sent his own roommates a message to say he would be late home, which they both acknowledged with a thumbs up emoji. 

It wasn't a long walk to the rink and Juho was glad he kept his copy of the keys on him. Fortunately there wasn't an awkward atmosphere between them as they walked, Jaeyoon seemed more than happy to pretend his panic from earlier never happened. They talked about Jaeyoon's classes and hockey and other small things. It was comfortable and Juho found that they really got along very easily. They had a shared taste in music and both of them used to dance before taking up hockey. By the time they reached the rink the back of Jaeyoon's hand was brushing against his with every step they took. Juho was glad it was dark out so the blush on his cheeks wasn't as visible. They got inside and Juho turned on the few lights they needed before heading into the dressing rooms. 

 

"Alright, if you just wait here for two seconds I'll go and grab the spare training gear."

"Sure thing."

 

Juho pulled out all the equipment he could find in their communal locker, and right at the back, he found a spare Scorpions jersey that no one was using this season. Happy he had everything, Juho went back to where he left Jaeyoon and almost let the gear he was holding fall on the ground. Jaeyoon had taken off his jacket and for the first time, Juho got a good look at his arms and figure. Forcing himself not to stare he just kept walking and handed Jaeyoon everything he had found. He smiled and took the bundle of equipment gratefully. Juho turned away and went to his own locker to grab training gear for himself. He had only been on the rink 12 hours ago but he really needed to get out and skate again. 

Ignoring the impulse to turn around and talk to Jaeyoon while they were getting changed, Juho hurriedly stripped off his current outfit and started getting dressed in his training gear. He definitely imagined the pained choking sound coming from Jaeyoon's direction when he pulled off his t-shirt to put on an undershirt. In no time he was ready and took a deep breath before turning back to face Jaeyoon. He was wearing everything except the jersey and was just staring at it in his hands.

 

"Is everything ok?"

"Number 74."

"What?"

"This jersey, it's my number. 74. That's what I've always worn."

"Oh, sorry I just pulled out a spare that no one was wearing."

"No no don't apologise! I just - it's a crazy coincidence that I still have the same number even on the other side of the world."

 

He sounded wistful and Juho wasn't sure how to deal with it. So instead he just sat on the bench beside Jaeyoon and started pulling on his skates. It seemed to shake Jaeyoon from wherever he had been in his head and he pulled the jersey on over his head before sitting down to do up his own skates. Grabbing sticks and helmets the pair skated out of the locker room and towards the rink. Juho hadn't turned on all the lights in the tunnel so there was only a light coming from the dressing rooms behind them as they made their way out. He was sure it probably looked like some scene from a movie, and he had to admit Jaeyoon would be a great sporty male lead with how he confidently skated out carrying his hockey stick over his shoulders.

They started with some practice laps of the rink, Jaeyoon moved so fluidly on the skates it was like he was born on them. After a few basic slaloms and passing drills Juho already could tell that Jaeyoon was one of the most talented players he had ever encountered. Juho suggested they tried some offence/defence manoeuvres and Jaeyoon happily agreed. Juho spent fifteen minutes attacking the goal trying to get the puck past Jaeyoon but every time he was blocked and intercepted. Jaeyoon was an outstanding defender and it was only by pulling out his most complicated offence tactics that he was able to get a chance on goal. He was exhausted after their short bout and Jaeyoon was laughing happily. Deciding to finish off on some penalty shots, Juho took his position first and shot three perfectly placed goals. Even though he was a defender it was important that Jaeyoon could take penalty shots. Without a goalkeeper it wasn't a difficult task but Juho was still impressed by Jaeyoon's three perfect centred shots on goal. Deciding he had seen enough, he skated over to where Jaeyoon was standing.

 

"Well, I can say with full confidence that I am very satisfied with your performance. And the Scorpions would be delighted to have you on the team."

"Thanks, Captain."

 

Jaeyoon may have winked at him but it was difficult to tell through the cage of his helmet. The teasing tone in his voice wasn't something that could be missed though. Juho suggested doing a few cool down laps and stretches and so they took off. When they finished and headed back to the locker room Juho's head was buzzing. There was always a sense of calm exhilaration that came over him after a particularly good session in the rink, and this definitely classified. 

They both grabbed towels and sat on two side-by-side benches. Taking off his helmet and leaving it beside him, Juho bent over and started taking off his skates. Jaeyoon did the same next to him and they chatted about how they both felt the skating went. Juho still felt the adrenaline in his veins when he stood up to go back to his locker and change out of his gear. So when Jaeyoon also stood and they were standing close and facing one another Juho let his self-composure slip slightly. He smiled at Jaeyoon and reached his hand out to hold his. Jaeyoon looked startled but Juho spoke before the other could say anything.

 

"You're an incredible skater Jaeyoon. I'm really looking forward to playing with you."

 

Maybe he had overstepped a line, but Jaeyoon smiled shyly back and thanked him. With a squeeze of their joined hands, Juho let go and went to start getting changed. This time though they faced one another as they got back into their regular clothes and talked. Juho resigned himself to the fact he would end up almost dying everytime he was around Jaeyoon when the pink-haired player took off his undershirt to show-off some very impressive abs and he choked on air. But it seemed the sentiment was returned since he definitely didn't imagine the surprised gasping from Jaeyoon when he saw Juho's thighs - which he was very proud of. They finished getting changed and Juho showed Jaeyoon which locker he could put his gear in. They left after Juho turned off all the lights and locked up.

Walking back towards the dorm buildings it had gotten a little chilly and Juho shivered slightly in just his light jacket. Jaeyoon noticed and moved so they were walking much closer to one another. So close that their shoulders were touching and their hands were in constant contact. Jaeyoon seemed to have grown bolder in the short time since they left the rink and after a particularly cold gust of wind, he slipped his hand into Juho's. Juho still couldn't get over how small the other's hands were in comparison to his own, but the heat from their linked fingers was spreading like liquid fire through his veins and warmed him up in no time. Jaeyoon smiled beside him when Juho looked over and made eye-contact. They reached their buildings quicker than either wanted and had to part ways. 

 

"So, I'll see you at training for half six right?"

"You can bet on it, Captain."

 

The teasing lilt was back in his voice, and Juho couldn't help the smile breaking across his face. They reluctantly let go of their joined hands and walked towards their respective dorms. Before heading in they waved shyly at one another and Juho's heart was like a butterfly fluttering in his chest.

He made it back up to his dorm where his roommates were both splayed out on the floor surrounded by sheet music. He laughed and got ready for bed as quietly as he could so he wouldn't wake them. After quickly washing up and getting changed he crawled into bed, his limbs heavy after such a long day. He couldn't believe how much had happened in such a short period of time. But when his phone lit up as he was getting ready to fall asleep, he didn't think he could have imagined it going differently.

 

**Lee Jaeyoon**

Thanks for today Captain, see you tomorrow! Good night ~

**Me**

Welcome to the team Jaeyoon, you better not be late! Night ~

**Contact edited: Jaeyoonie~**

 

 

Juho couldn't wait for tomorrow.

 

 


End file.
